Astonishing Rewards 2
There was one piece of information Seok Geum-ryong had gained while dealing with the assassins of Blood Kill Gate alongside Shadowless One Shin Dan-woo.
"I-I really don't know."
All they could tell him was that the order had come from Namyeong-won, the residence in Seokga Manor.
The assassins had insisted on their innocence, and among the brothers living there were the second, the third, and the sixth young masters. Namyeong-won was just as large as the Bukcheon-won he had newly been granted, and the suspects were therefore three in number.
The second son, Seok Ju-woo, is already a heavy figure who doesn't even look my way. He wouldn't openly target me.
And since he did not think his sixth younger sister was on bad terms with him either, elimination left only the third son, Mad Tiger Young Master Seok Ho-in, as the most likely culprit.
But what was this?
"What... did you say?"
At the suggestion that he had hired assassins, Seok Ho-in looked genuinely bewildered, as if he had never even heard of such a thing.
If that expression had been a vile performance, then Seok Ho-in would truly have been a born actor.
It's not Seok Ho-in!
The moment he saw that reaction, Seok Geum-ryong became certain that Seok Ho-in was not the culprit.
He was a forceful man, yes, but also a somewhat simple one. He was not the sort who could put on such a disgusting act.
And there was another reason.
If it were Seok Ho-in, who is utterly confident in his own martial arts, he wouldn't have hired assassins at all... he would have come at me directly!
Only then did Seok Geum-ryong realize his deduction had been wrong. He bit his lip in surprise.
That left two suspects.
Second son Seok Ju-woo and sixth daughter Seok Sa-yeong.
"What nonsense are you spouting? Do you really think I would rely on assassins to beat someone like you?"
Seok Ho-in even took offense at being accused of hiring assassins, and that only hardened Seok Geum-ryong's certainty further.
It had been a mistake born from too many unpleasant memories in the past.
"In any case... just wait. The day will come when I make you pay dearly!"
Seok Ho-in ground his teeth and left, turning away from Seok Geum-ryong, whose attention had already drifted elsewhere.
Even after Seok Ho-in had gone, Seok Geum-ryong did not spare him a glance and sank deep into thought.
Someone is targeting me.
And very openly at that.
Even if he excluded Seok Myo-hee, who had tried to kill him so clumsily, there had been the incident where servant Deung Chon should have died, then the coming matter of his thirteenth birthday, and even the death of the Scholar in Blue, Gong Sang-pil. It was clear that someone wanted him dead.
"Just who in the world..."
What had once been a list of three suspects had now narrowed to two.
Second son Seok Ju-woo and sixth daughter Seok Sa-yeong.
Seok Geum-ryong sat there blankly, thinking about them both.
First, there was Seok Ju-woo, the second son of Seokga Manor, already grown and, like the eldest Seok Dong-seo, in possession of a massive power base.
He was so quiet it was almost excessive, and his narrow eyes made it impossible to tell what he was thinking.
Even at the family council earlier, unlike Seok Dong-seo, who looked rather petty, Seok Ju-woo had shown very little emotion.
Seok Sa-yeong...
The sixth child and younger sister, who also never revealed her true feelings, was much the same.
She so rarely showed what was on her mind that, strangely enough, Seok Geum-ryong had once found Seok Myo-hee easier to deal with.
After long consideration, he reached a conclusion.
"No matter who the culprit is, it doesn't matter."
Even if he kept thinking about it, it would be nearly impossible to uncover the truth in the present situation.
Besides, the culprit will definitely come back to approach me again.
Soon, his thirteenth birthday would arrive, and in the process of preventing the death of the Scholar in Blue, some crucial thread would surely reveal itself.
"For now, I should focus on saving Butler Gong."
Unlike the death of servant Deung Chon, the death of Gong Sang-pil was tangled up in a far more complicated web of circumstances.
For Seok Geum-ryong, the Scholar in Blue Gong Sang-pil was someone he could never lose, a talent he could not afford to go without. He was determined not only to save him, but also...
I will expose, without a shadow of doubt, the one who dares threaten my precious family and my life.
He resolved to catch that culprit no matter what.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
"Huh?"
Seok Geum-ryong had been mulling over the culprit and how he might save Gong Sang-pil, so lost in thought that his body had nearly carried him there on instinct. But what was this?
Whoooosh!
In his tiny little residence, there wasn't a trace of servant Deung Chon or the Scholar in Blue Gong Sang-pil, not even a single mouse in sight.
The place had already been cramped and shabby, but now that all the furniture and household goods were gone, it looked desolate beyond belief.
W-what?
As he stood there in confusion, a young maid happened to be passing by.
"Young Master Seok Geum-ryong?"
"Where did everyone else go?"
Seok Geum-ryong asked her with a delighted smile, eager for an explanation.
The maid was still young. When the handsome Seok Geum-ryong came up to her smiling brightly, she blushed a little and bowed politely.
"As far as I know... your household staff and retainers were moved to Bukcheon-won, Young Master."
"Ah!"
Only then did Seok Geum-ryong realize that he had been granted Bukcheon-won and had become its resident owner.
Idiot!
He had thought so deeply that, without realizing it, he had wandered back to the familiar old path.
Chiding himself, Seok Geum-ryong immediately turned toward Bukcheon-won.
One of the four major residences of Seokga Manor, located at the northern entrance.
There was even a saying that anyone who became the master of one of those four great residences would never go hungry within Seokga Manor.
Seok Geum-ryong walked briskly toward the towering Bukcheon-won, and sure enough...
"Oh my, Young Master! Why are you so late?"
"We were beginning to think our necks would snap from waiting."
Servant Deung Chon and Jang Sam, who had taken charge of the Seok Geum-ryong faction's atmosphere, greeted him with exaggerated excitement.
Behind them, not only the Scholar in Blue Gong Sang-pil but also the Golden Needle Venerable Yeo Gwang-rae and one of the Four Honored Guests, the Moon Spirit Swordswoman Im So-gun, were all waiting as well.
And what came next was even more astonishing.
"Please, come in."
Led by Deung Chon, who had already finished moving everything and arranging the place, Seok Geum-ryong stepped into the interior of Bukcheon-won, and what he saw made him gasp.
"Wow! Wowww!"
Looking at the elegant interior of Bukcheon-won, which was lavish without the slightest hint of nouveau riche ugliness, Seok Geum-ryong let out an involuntary exclamation.
He had seen many fine places in both this life and the last, but Bukcheon-won was unquestionably broad and expansive, with a refreshing sense of space.
"Young Master, do you see it? Even after all of us moved in, there are still rooms left empty!"
"That's right. We had to clean like mad because of it, but I'm happier than I can say!"
Jang Sam and Deung Chon were almost glowing with joy as they bowed deeply to Seok Geum-ryong.
Because Seok Geum-ryong had earned great merit with the Heaven-Black Horse and been granted Bukcheon-won, his position had risen, and those who followed him could now live far better lives as well.
"Good heavens! There are so many rooms I can't even count them, and three training grounds... there's even a huge stable!"
Seok Geum-ryong stared at the sweeping view of Bukcheon-won, his head spinning, and could only marvel.
"Exactly. That means Miss Im So-gun and Lady Wol-papa can move in too."
"And since Manor Lord Seok Ji-sung has told us to take full responsibility for selling the Heaven-Black Horse and wild horses from now on, we'll need to work even harder at managing the stables."
Their words were right.
With great rights came great responsibilities.
Now that Seok Geum-ryong's status had risen and he was the resident lord of Bukcheon-won, his duties had increased as well.
First, as the lord of Bukcheon-won, he had to keep watch so that no impudent intruder could enter, and he also had to carry out the orders given by Manor Lord Seok Ji-sung.
That task was to compete with the Red Horse Yard, monopolize the Heaven-Black Horse, and go on to generate huge profits.
"Young Master. This is truly the beginning."
The Scholar in Blue Gong Sang-pil was also overjoyed, deeply moved.
To be honest, up until now, as a butler he had only needed to manage a meager household. Now things were different.
As a butler of Seokga Manor, the real work had only just begun.
"Young Master Seok, since the grounds and rooms are so spacious, wouldn't it be all right to set up an infirmary or an apothecary here?"
A larger space meant it could shine in countless ways depending on how it was used.
The Golden Needle Venerable Yeo Gwang-rae suggested that they set up an infirmary and an apothecary.
"Of course. That goes without saying."
Seok Geum-ryong nodded with emotion.
Truth be told, he had already felt bad and pained over the fact that such a remarkable physician as Yeo Gwang-rae had been staying in a tiny little room without any proper medical quarters.
If Dr. Yeo, one of the foremost physicians in the Central Plains, can establish a proper infirmary...
Then perhaps it might one day become the signature infirmary of Bukcheon-won, or even of Seokga Manor itself.
"From now on, I and Head Servant Deung Chon will handle the stables together. We'd be grateful if you could provide more staff."
Caring for the Heaven-Black Horse and the excellent wild horses would be the job of Jang Sam, who knew horses inside and out, and Deung Chon, the all-purpose servant who could do just about anything.
"At last, we can respectfully receive Miss Im So-gun and Lady Wol-papa as our honored guests."
What made him happiest of all was being able to properly treat his guests.
To be honest, the other honored guests had enjoyed every luxury in ostentatious surroundings, while Im So-gun had been staying in a secluded place with Wol-papa.
"It's all right. We're already grateful just for having our lives saved."
"That's right. We don't care much for flashy or extravagant things."
Im So-gun and Wol-papa were respectful, and unlike other honored guests, they interacted with the person they supported through mutual respect.
More than anything, having the Moon Spirit Swordswoman Im So-gun, one of the Four Honored Guests and a woman of extraordinary potential, residing within the manor would not only raise the combat power of Seok Geum-ryong's faction, but also bring stability to security and public order.
"It seems you'll have quite a bit more to worry about, Lord Shin."
Finally, Seok Geum-ryong turned to the Shadowless One Shin Dan-woo and the escort warriors he led, offering his encouragement.
Before, all they had to do was guard a small estate, so the task had not been especially difficult. But now they had to protect the vast expanse of Bukcheon-won, and their workload had increased dramatically.
"Even if I have to stake my life, I will protect Bukcheon-won. This is the precious home where Young Master Seok Geum-ryong will grow and rise without limit."
Shin Dan-woo was just as moved.
Frankly, he had believed that it would take at least several years before Seok Geum-ryong could rise from his shabby residence and achieve greatness.
Yet in barely two years, he had accomplished incredible things. It was less moving than it was astounding.
Young Master is a natural genius, a born talent, a ruler.
Shin Dan-woo reaffirmed it in his heart and swore his loyalty once more.
Seok Geum-ryong was still only a young boy, but his future was boundless, and Shin Dan-woo had no doubt that he would become the finest martial artist in the world, and beyond that, the finest merchant in the world as well.
"Young Master! The carts carrying supplies, funds, and gold coins sent by Manor Lord are arriving!"
There was another piece of good news.
Seok Ji-sung, who had already given Bukcheon-won in exchange for transferring the Heaven-Black Horse into the main manor's assets, was now handing over even more generous support to his beloved fifth son.
"Wow! Wowww! Young Master, from now on we can eat meat with all three meals!"
At that procession, the Scholar in Blue Gong Sang-pil teared up and spoke in an utterly ordinary, almost comically humble way, completely unlike the people of Seokga Manor.
Seok Geum-ryong gave the humanly sincere Gong Sang-pil a gentle smile and patted his shoulder.